When RE Shifts, Something Much Bigger Shifts With It

A reflection on the recent NI Supreme Court ruling, and why it matters more than we think.

Today (19/11/25), the BBC reported a significant Supreme Court ruling concerning Religious Education (RE) in Northern Ireland. The Court has judged that the current model of Christian-based RE in state-controlled primary schools is unlawful because it does not give sufficient respect to children from families with other beliefs, or no beliefs at all. For anyone who engages with schools, such as teachers, parents, youth workers, chaplains, Christian organisations etc, this is more than a news story. It’s a moment to stop and pay attention. This ruling has the potential to reshape the way children in NI encounter faith in the classroom. As someone who spends a huge part of my ministry within schools, I’ve been reflecting deeply on what this could mean. So I want to try and shed a little light on the subject. 

A Familiar Pattern: I’ve Seen This Before

Part of the reason this caught my attention is because it feels very familiar. When I was growing up in England, something very similar happened. There was a point where Christianity was no longer treated as the core of RE, but became just one religion among many, all to be given equal weight. On paper, this sounded fair, but in practice, it became unmanageable. Teachers were suddenly expected to give balanced, informed coverage of every major world religion, and of course, they couldn’t. So RE gradually became a subject that tried to offend nobody by removing anything that might be distinctive. Therefore, what is the result?

A subject once rooted in history, belief, and doctrine became a vague morality lesson.

Then came the next step:
To reduce pressure on teachers, RE was quietly absorbed into PSHE (or LLW, as we call it here in NI). The life of Jesus, the miracles, the parables, the Gospel narratives, the resurrection, all the things that make Christian RE what it is, were slowly pushed out. RE didn’t die overnight. It simply faded into something else. Along with that shift came something else I remember clearly:
Christian organisations were no longer welcomed in the same way.

1. No Gideons visiting assemblies.
2. No ministers or church leaders speaking into school life.
3. No Christian groups given regular access.

Not because anyone was hostile, but because explicit Christianity was no longer seen as “inclusive”. When Christianity stops being central to RE, it stops being central in the culture of the school too.

Why RE Matters More Than Most Realise

One of the greatest misunderstandings about Religious Education is the idea that it’s just “another subject”. However, it isn’t. RE is one of the very few subjects that actively cultivates critical thinking. Not just the ability to analyse or evaluate information, but the capacity to wrestle with:

• Meaning
• Purpose
• Truth
• Morality
• Identity
• Worldviews
• Evidence for belief

In RE, pupils learn to compare ideas, examine claims, question assumptions, and engage with deep, sometimes uncomfortable questions about life. Remove the depth of RE, and you remove a vital space where young people can think critically about the world and their own beliefs. A diluted RE doesn’t just weaken Christian teaching, it weakens education itself.

What Might Happen Next in Northern Ireland?

I don’t believe this ruling automatically spells doom. But it does create a trajectory, and it’s one we’ve already watched unfold elsewhere.

If NI follows England’s path:

1. RE may become increasingly pluralistic. 

To appear fair, the curriculum could shift to give equal weight to all beliefs, which often means focusing on none in any meaningful depth.

2. Christianity may lose its place as the foundational framework for RE.

Even though Christianity has shaped the culture, law, ethics, and values of the British islands for centuries, it may no longer be taught as historically central.

3. Christian organisations may be slowly pushed out. 

Not by explicit banning, but by reframing “inclusion” to mean avoiding anyone with a clearly defined belief.

This could affect:

• Scripture Union groups
• Visiting ministers
• Christian youth workers
• Faith-based mentoring or chaplaincy
• Assemblies and special events
• Classroom visits or RE contributions

It will be subtle, but real.

4. Teachers will feel the strain.

Many RE teachers went into the subject because it meant something. They will now wonder:

• What will I be allowed to teach?
• Will I lose my job if RE is reshaped or merged?
• Will my subject even exist in a few years?
• How do I teach “everything equally” without teaching nothing?

This is a huge emotional and professional burden, and they desperately need our prayers.

A Devotional Reflection: Living in Shifting Times

When cultural foundations move, God’s people have often felt pressure. But Scripture continually reminds us that:

1. God is sovereign over every cultural shift

Even when the world changes directions, the throne of God has not moved an inch. He is not unsettled. He is not surprised. He is not threatened.

Even if RE changes, if access changes, if opportunities change, God does not change.

2. God works in moments that look like decline

“The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice.”
Psalm 97:1

1. The exile looked like the end for Israel, yet it became a season of deep faithfulness.
2. The early church faced intense opposition, yet it grew.
3. Paul was chained, yet the gospel was not bound.

The same God is at work today.

3. Our confidence is not in legal systems or curriculum decisions

They matter. We engage. We advocate. We pray.

But our hope is not pinned to them.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
Psalm 20:7

4. God often uses disruption to redirect His people into new opportunities 

We have seen this with the recent rise in interest in Christianity. Also in the boldness of Christian young people to share their faith after the summer, and all that happened with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the death of John MacArthur, and Voddie Baucham. If access into schools narrows, God may open doors in homes, churches, youth groups, online spaces, or one-to-one discipleship.

The gospel has always flourished in unexpected places.

5. We are called to respond not with fear, but with faithfulness

1. Faithfulness in prayer.
2. Faithfulness in presence.
3. Faithfulness in loving young people.
4. Faithfulness in sharing Christ wherever the door is open, even if the door is smaller than it was before.

How We Can Pray

If your heart feels heavy or unsettled reading this, let that become fuel for prayer.

Pray for teachers

Especially RE teachers who may fear for their future.

Pray for Christian organisations

That opportunities to serve young people would remain open.

Pray for school leaders

As they will be responsible for implementing whatever changes come.

Pray for wisdom

For government, curriculum builders, and churches responding to these shifts.

Pray for young people

That even in a changing educational landscape, they would still encounter the truth, beauty, forgiveness, and hope of the gospel.

Pray for courage and faithfulness

For all believers working in education, that they would not grow weary or fearful, but remain steadfast.

Final Thoughts

This ruling marks the beginning of a conversation that will shape the next decade of education in Northern Ireland. It matters deeply, and it deserves our attention. But we look at it through the lens of faith, not fear. God is still at work in our schools. He is still drawing young people to Himself. He is still opening doors, even when some begin to close. He will continue to build His kingdom through us, through you, and through every faithful witness in the classroom, assembly hall, or playground.

Thank you for praying, supporting, and standing with us in this vital ministry.

Written by Danny Roberts

Endorsed by the LMI YS Team: Bethany Sanderson, Josh Orr and Josh Brown